Arizona Coyotes trim training camp roster, send four to the AHL

The Arizona Coyotes have trimmed their training camp roster 39 after assigning four players to the Tucson Roadrunners of the AHL.

According to Arizona Sports 98.7FM, the Coyotes have sent forward Michael Bunting and defencemen Cam Dineen, Dysin Mayo and Dakota Mermis down to their AHL affiliates.

Michael Bunting was a fourth-round selection (117th overall) by the Coyotes, then-named Phoenix, in the 2014 NHL Draft.

After being draft, he put up solid numbers for the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds of the OHL, earning 74 points (37 goals, 37 assists) in 57 regular season appearances – a season in which he was also named an alternate captain.

Since then, Bunting has established himself as a regular in the AHL, increasing his point production in each of the past three seasons, up from 25 (11G-14A) in 2015/16 to 43 (23G-20A) in 2017/18.

The 23-year-old Scarborough, Ontario native, however, has not yet shown enough to warrant a call-up to the NHL and will look to improve his production in the AHL once again this season.

Dysin Mayo was also selected by the Coyotes in the 2014 draft, going one round after Bunting – 133rd overall that year.

The 6-foot-2, 194lbs right-handed defenceman has taken longer to develop his game, returning to the Edmonton Oil Kings of the WHL for a further two seasons after being drafted by the team.

He scored 94 points (20 goals, 74 assists) in 143 regular season games in major juniors after being drafted before spending time in the ECHL before finally cementing a place with the Roadrunners last season.

The 22-year-old isn’t likely to find himself called up to the Coyotes’ respectable defensive corps, but he could still prove to hold some value if he can impress in the minors this season.

Cam Dineen is arguably the most significant player to be sent down, having been a third-round selection by the Arizona Coyotes just two years ago.

Having continued his development with the North Bay Battalion and Sarnia Sting of the OHL, this season will be Dineen’s first real opportunity with the Roadrunners.

If he struggles to adapt to the professional game, he could play in the ECHL for a spell, but if he impresses early then he will be given plenty of chances to stick around with the AHL club.

Dakota Mermis should be familiar to Coyotes fans, with the 24-year-old left-handed defenceman having spent a nine-game spell with the NHL club last season.

Mermis was an alternate captain in Tucson last season and is expected to continue that leadership role for the AHL club – an impressive early career for a player that went undrafted.

The Arizona Coyotes are likely to keep a larger-than-usual training camp squad for as long as possible before heading into the opening week of the season given the number of injuries the team is dealing with.

With Jakob Chychrun, Alex Galchenyuk, Christian Dvorak and Dylan Strome all suffering injuries recently, the players still involved with training camp will have an opportunity to show they can be called upon as replacements – making themselves noticed in case such a situation arises later on in the regular season.